Easy Gluten Free Living

Archive for the ‘Gluten Free Beer’ Category

I live in Pittsburgh, and my husband has a gluten allergy. I have difficulty finding Bards that is even remotely fresh. At a “Mom and Pop Beer Warehouse” the staff was ecstatic because they were able to locate a case of Bards with a January, 2010 stamp. Unfortunately, it was July, 2010 when they made their discovery. I did buy the case anyway, because it was my husband’s birthday. His only comment was, “this is really hoppy.” I didn’t tell him it was six months old.

My husband drinks beer only occasionaly (we still have 3/4 of the aforementioned case in our garage). The ideal situation for us would be to be able to buy Bards in six packs. The problem is that I can not locate a retailer that sells gluten free beer this way. In fact, stores, and some beverage distributors, don’t know what a gluten free beer is. If I had a nickel for every time that a clerk has said to me, “all beers are made with wheat,” I’d be a rich lady.

I would welcome your comments.

Sharon Ore

Sharon,

Not sure which part of Pittsburgh you live in, but if you’re not in the eastern area of the city, and up for a road trip, there is a place in Regent Square, right off of the Edgewood exit of the parkway east, called D’s SixPax & Dogz.  They carry both Redbridge and Bards by the bottle.   You may find that it is a little fresher there, but I’m not sure.

It’s a little more expensive than buying by the case, but that may be an option for you. 

I think the more word gets out about gluten free beers, the more readily available (and in turn fresher,) they will become.

My son-in-law just informed me that Uno’s Pizza now carries Redbridge gluten free beer and makes a gluten free pizza crust.  I haven’t tried it yet so I can’t say for sure what it’s like.

If you found this information helpful, please leave a comment below.

Just in time for the Memorial Day holiday weekend, my husband brought home some gluten free beer.  Two different kinds to be exact.  Bards and Redbridge.  Both are made from Sorghum.

Just as some background, I like to mow the lawn.  I have a gas powered, push mower with the big wheels on the back.  We have two acres that are cleared and the rest is wooded.  When I mow the grass, it’s my time to think, reflect, and get some much needed outdoor exercise.  And when I am   finished I always love having a nice cold beer. 

Of course that was way before celiac disease.  Now I haven’t had a beer in almost 25 years.  My drink of choice since celiac has been ice cold lemon water.  (I know,  far cry from a beer, but it quenches a thirst.  So when my husband arrived with two bottles of gluten free beer, I was really excited and just a little hesitant to try it.  Would it be as good as I remembered ice cold beer tasting?

First I tried the Bards, it was really good.  I mean really good.  It tasted like real beer.  (At least what I thought I remembered real beer tasting like.)  So I said to my hubby, “Taste this and tell me what you think.”  He said, “It’s good”.

Later I tried the Redbridge, it was good too.  More like a pale ale, than a regular beer.  I used to drink a darker beer, when I drank beer, so the Redbridge seemed a little weak to me.

My preference…..Bards.  It just tasted more like a regular beer.   Even though Redbridge by Anheuser-Busch was the first ever produced, I think the guys at Bard’s Tale Beer Company have nailed it.

By the way, there are more and more restaurants adding gluten free beer to their menus.  Outback Steakhouse for one and P.F. Chang’s for another.  If they don’t serve it yet at your favorite restaurant, keep asking.  The more they realize there are a lot of us out here, the more they will be willing to provide for their gluten intolerant patrons.

If you have tried any of the other gluten free beers, please leave a comment below and let me know what you think of them.  What was your favorite and why?

And I feel I have to say this, drink responsibly, please do not drink and drive.  The life you save will very likely be an innocent sober person.